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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · rest · lie · chip · charge · nail · net · ball

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ball — a dance
  4. charge — a price
  5. ball — a great time
  6. charge — electricity
  7. rest — a break
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rest — what's left
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. chip — for betting
  12. net — in sport
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. net — after costs
  16. charge — in control
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. track — a song
  22. net — for catching
  23. lie — to recline
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com